Sleigh-propelling mechanism.



J. D. FRYE.

SLEIGH PROPELLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION I'ILED JULY 17. 1908.

9 1 8,43 1 Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. D. FRYR- SLBIGH PROPKILING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17l 1908.

, Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. j" J g Ag f 4 4 PArnNtrjoFF oE.

inns Davin-rays, oFsrfJonNsnuRY, VERMONT, assmNoR OF bun-THIRD TO LEONARD o allwhom tt ma'y concern:

tknown thatI, JAMES DAVID FRYE', a citizen of the United States, residing at St, lohnsbug, in the county of Caledonia and State of ermont have invented a new and useful Sleigh-Propelling Mechanism, of which thefollowmg. is a specification. v

This yention relates to propelling vices for sleighs and has for its rinci al object to .provide ainechanism o -simp e construction which-may be readily mounted on a"s le igh;1and employed for propelling same over snow or ice.

A'fu theiiobject of the invention is to provide. a-wpropelling means at each side of the sleigh angltosoiarrange the propelling means as t gpermit independent adjustment of either. ofthem to operative or inoperative position. a V

; (A? still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of propelling, device in which series .of-shoes are. pivotally con- -nectedtogether the form of an endless chainandi-mounted on a pair of carrying wheels- *Thelower run of the chain remaining in contact with the ground and afl'ording an extensive traction service the efiect of -which maybe .au mented by the employmentof pointedcal s or likemembers on each still further object of the invention is to provide the shoes-with treads that are so .eonstructedand connected as to present a Qbhbim'lQD S-lwface that will prevent the en- .tranc e of SDQWiQlgiCG, and which will pre serifeathe oontinuity of the propelling device as the 'shoessclose. together in traveling arojandrtha periphery of the wheels and open outiinspasslngbetween said wheels.

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4 make-the. shoes self=oiliiig A-fstillfurther iobject of the invention is to provide. shoe guiding means between the wheelslan'd toemploy on each shoe a plural ity of. antiefriction rollers adapted to engage saidsguidesn nu; a-aigo-s iii 5 Santana-mater ebiec-t nfi a hellowspdeenstitutingailu ricantseatain erserv'oirifromwhichit withztheseiandaother;

Specification of Letters Patent. I Application filed July 17, 1908'. Serial No. 448,995.

i, sha ts -10.aarr e esp iq ke wh slsev nties 1ine1q e 1,=by link-shalt. "to the shoes beiggl- .heel l fon a 'ou'ntershfaf 1Y5. gconnectedi to the shaft .of,- thefin tori, ab spr k fl eel -end 58 link 1" he.p 7ope er nd-F m y b r ised I ilubrican z ar swf journalsofathea ti firiction rollers., bjea iinv wisi mdrefnlly' hereinafter appear,thegina. STUART, OF/ST.,JOHNSBURY, VERMONT. smren-rndrnnmne unonamsm. H

Patented April 13, 1909.

-.venti0n'cons1sts in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and )articularly pointed out in the appended c aims, it being understood that various changes in the form, propor tion, size and minor detailsof the structure may be made without de arting from the spirit or sacrificing any of t e advantages of t e invention.

In the accom anying drawin s:Fi is a longitudina section view 0 a 'sleig provided with a pro elling means constructed in accordance wit the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing one of the shoes in section and "the position the parts assume when the shoes are moving in a straight line. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the positions assumed by a pair of connected shoes when traveling around the periphery of one ofthe guiding or driving wheels. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 3 of one of the shoes. Fig. 6 is-a side elevation of one of the driving wheels showing also ,a pair of connecting shoes. Fig. 7 is a transverse section view 0 .same on the line 77 Fig. 6. Fi 8 is a de- Arranged'ateach side of the rear sled B are the propellers designated generally E and F each eing in the form of an incased frame provided with bearings for the resection of a the rear pair of shafts 10 and 11. Each 0 naled =inlthe main frai'ne andklsfe elt 1 6 lowered independently other and each is held from lateral play by links 18 which are pivoted to the inner sides ofthe propeller casings, the links being slotted for the passage of bolts 19 that extend throughopenings"formed inthe frame of the sled B. Extending transverselyof the frame of the sled B are two small rocker shafts'2l' and 22, and at the ends of the rocker shafts adjacent the propeller F are secured rocker arms 23 in which the inner ends of the shafts 10 and 11 are journaled so that if these bolt of ordinary construction arranged to en.

gage in the notches of a locking quadrant 3 This lever is arranged within convenient reach of an operator and by manipulating it the propeller B may be raised or lowered and locked in the position to which it is adjusted.

Mounted loosely on the rocker shafts 2'1 and 22 adjacent the propeller E are bellcrank levers 31 the approximately horizontal arms of which are provided with bearings for the reception of the innerends of the shafts 10 and 11 of said pro eller. The ap rozrimately vertical arms oJsaid bell-crank evers are connectedtogether by a long link 33 and extending from the vertical arm of the forward lever is a rod 34 that is connected to the lower end of a lever 35 that is provided with a latch bolt. arranged to engage the notches of a locking quadrant 36, so that by manipulating the lever 35 the propeller E may be raised or lowered and locked in adjusted position.

Each of the propellers comprises a pair or side plates 40 provided with suitable bearings for the reception of the two shafts 10 and 11'. p The shaft 10 carries a driving wheel il that is provided with, sprocket teeth'42 arranged to engage and impart motion'to the shoes. which may be toothed or not, its function being merelyt'o serve as a guide for the for wardcnd of the' re elling chain.

. Each of thew ee s is provided with a wide rim 44. for the reception of the shoes and the central web 46 of each sprocket is provided with openings for the passage of anti-'.

friction rollers'el7 that are journaled in small bearing blocks 48 carried by the opposite sides of the web, these rollers being arranged to engage the inner surfaces of the side lates 40 and thus hold the wheel from latera play without undue friction.

' Each shoe is in'theform of an enigma The shaft 11 carries a guiding wheel' eraser block theinterior of which ishollowed out to form a chamber 49 for the reception of'lubrieating material, and one sidefiO of the block is removable so that the lubricant may be renewed from time to time, The inner face of each block is concaved longitudinally to con formto the eripheryof the propelling and guiding whee and is further provided. with a longitudinal groove 57 that is arranged to receive a continuous annular rib 51 on the periphery of. each of the wheels, this rib and groove connection preventing lateral dis-- placement of the shoes. The inner face of I each shoe is further provided Witharecess tooth so that driving movement may be imparted from the wheel 41 to the shoes.

On each side of the shoes are lates 54 that project beyond the ends of t e shoes and overlap. These plates are rovided with o'ienings for the reception 0 .pivot' ins 55 w ich serve to connect the shoes in t e form of an endless chain. ()ne ofthe ends of each shoe has a straight face 55 and the other end of each shoe is provided with two angularly disposed faces, indicated at 56- and 56, respectively. The face 56 a plane 52 arranged for the reception of a sprocket at right angles to the general longitudinal are traveling around the periphery ofthe wheel, the faces 56 contact with the faces- 55 of the adjacent shoes, as shown in Figs and when traveling in a straight line between the two wheels, the faces 56 will engagethe faces 55*, as shown in Fig. 3. Extending transversely through each {of the shoes and passing through the luhricantv containing chamber thereof are two shafts 60 that carry anti-friction rollers 61 adapted to bear on the peripheries of the Wheels, and in the intervals between the two wheels these rollers engage fixed guiding tracks 62 that are carried'by the inner faces of the casing members 40. As the shafts pass through the 7 lubricant containim chambers they will at" all times be effectually lubricated.

The outer face of each shoe is, arranged on three angular lines, the central face '65 of which is a plane parallel withthelgenerallongitudinal plane of the shoe or in'aline at a right angle to a lineradiating from the axis of the wheel shaft. The other faces 66 are disposed at obtuse angles to the face ,65,

gradually tapering toward the ends. ofp-the. i

oe. The central face 65 of the shoe is, provided with a transverselydlsposed'i recess for the reception of an anti friction roller 68 that is";

mounted ona stud 69, and-the diameter of this roller is greater than theg vhidthjof-the shoe, so that thettwp expos'ed ndgspf the,

roller engage the inturned flanges 7Q are'iormedat theed es' of the covering plates) ofthe' ropellers.

Toztheouter ace ofeach shoe is secured a 5' tread plate 72 that preferably is secured to the outer end of a stud 69. The length of the said plate ispractically-thesame as the length of the flat surface and to the opposite ends of said plate are hinged auxiliary plates 77 and 78, the plate 77 being in the orm of a plane sheet of metal, while the plate 78 is provided at each edge with a turned flange 79, the flanged-plate of each shoe receiving the lane plate of the next ad- 'acent shoe thus orming a continuous surace that will accommodate itself to the path of movement of the shoes, the tread straightening out when the shoes are moving between the two wheels as shown in Fig. 3, and clo together when the shoes are traveling aroun the wheel as shown in Fig. 4. Secured to each of the treads is a calk. 81 that preferably is pointed or provided with a sharp ed e for engagement w th the smooth surface 0 snow or ice. I

' In 8 is illustrated a slightly modified construction of shoe and tread in which the shoe members are provided with treads 86 that have edge flanges 87 arranged to overlap and thus present a continuous side guard to prevent the entrance of snow or ice. The

tread members 86 are hingedly connected together at 88 and the ends of the shoes in this case are arranged on angular lines that radiatefrom the center of the wheel carrying shaft. I The upper rim of the chain may be inclosed byl a suitable guard of any construction, t is being omitted in the drawing.

XI claimy- 1. In a'propeller of the class described, a

- orm an endless chain, means for guiding and driving saidchain, and tread members secured to the shoes, each tread member comprising a-central section and a section pivoted toeach end thereof, theend sections of adjacent tread members being slidably connected and arranged toform a continuous tread surface.

2 Int: pro eller of the class described, a plurality of. s oes pivotally connected together to form an endless chain, a pair of 'spaced guiding whichsaidchain passes, one of the ends of the shoes having a-straight face, and the other ends of the shoes being each provided with two surfaces at an oblique angle to each other, the innermost surfaces of adjacent 7 shoes abuttin as the shoes pass around the 60 wheels, and t efloutermost surfaces abutting as the chain't'ravels in a: straight line between the wheels.

3. In a preacher of the class described, a plurality of oes. pivotally connected toplurality of shoespivotally connected to,

and driving wheels around gether to form an endless chain, guidin and driving "wheels around which" the "chain passes; fixed guides bet'weensaid-wheels, and a plurality'of anti friction'rollers carried by each shoe'and havin their axes at right an-' gles to each other, said rollers being arranged to'engage withth guides' I4. Ina "ropeller'of the class described, a lurality of shoes pivotally connected to orm an endless chain, guiding and drivin wheels around which the chain passes, afixe frame having inturned flanges surrounding the wheels and chain and through which the edges of the shoes reject, and anti-friction rollers carried by t e shoes and projectin beyond each side thereof for engaging wit the edge portions of said flanges.

5. In a propeller of the class described, a plurality of shoes pivotally connected to orm an endless chain, iding and driving wheels for the chain, eac of the shoes being rovided with a longitudinal slot or groove I1 in its inner face and the wheels having pe ripherally disposed ribs fitting within said slots or grooves, a casing surrounding the wheels and chain, and anti-friction rollers carried by the shoes and bearing against the opposing surfaces of the casing and wheels.

6'. In a-prop'eller of the class described, a plurality of shoes pivotally connected to orm an endless chain, the outer surface of each shoe being recessed, an anti-friction roller mounted within the recess, a stud carryingsaid anti-friction roller, a fixed guide with which the rollers engage, and a tread carried by the stud and forming a traction surface.

7. In a propeller of the class described, a

plurality of shoes pivotally connected to orm an endless chain, each ofthe shoes being hollow and forming a lubricant containing chamber, shafts extending through the shoes, anti-friction rollers carried by the shafts at points outside the shoes,. and guiding memerswith which said rollers engage;

8. In a propeller of the class described, a-

lurality of shoes pivotally connected to orm an endless chain, means for guiding-and driving said shoes, the outer surface of each shoe. having angularly related faces, a tread securedtothe outer face of each shoe and comprising a central member arranged to bear against the central face of the shoes, and pivotally connected flaps arranged to bear against the angular faces thereof, and calks secured to the central'section of the tread.

9. The combination with a' sleigh of adriven shaft, a pair of ropelling devices arranged at opposite si es of the sleigh and each including a pair of spaced shafts, a pairof rocking shafts extending transversely of the sleigh frame, rocker arms secured to. one

end of the shafts and forming bearings; for the reception of the shafts of one of'thepropellers, means for rocking said shafts to raise my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature. and lower the pro eller, a pair of connected 1 in the presence of two Witnesses. bell-crank levers oosely mounted on'oppo-' I site ends of the rocker shafts and connected I V 5 to the shafts of the othel propeller, and "Witnesses: I

meahs for actuating said bell-crank levers. HAROLD O. FRENCH,

In testimony'that I claim the foregoing as S. J. SOMERVILLE.

JAMES DAVID FRYEY" 

